Abstract
This study used a working memory (WM) model to investigate the impact of activities designed to enhance the abilities of Japanese elementary school students to listen to communications in English, increase their verbal short-term memories (STM) for Japanese and English, and further develop their attentional and selective-attentional abilities (automaticity) in response to Japanese and English. The main results were as follows. (1) Attentional abilities and verbal STM capacities in the first language (L1) were superior to those in the foreign language, English (EFL). (2) Attentional abilities and verbal STM capacities were better as a function of higher grade levels, with the exception of the verbal STM capacities of sixth-graders. (3) Data on automaticity was inconsistent and was not superior for L1 or in higher grades. (4) The ability to listen increased as a function of grade. (5) Different factors predicted the listening abilities of students in different grades in that L1 STM capacity was predictive for first-graders, L1 automaticity and EFL STM capacity were predictive for second-graders, and L1 STM capacity and EFL automaticity were predictive for fourth- and fifth-graders. Overall, the results suggest that the methods used to teach FL should incorporate differences in the cognitive developmental levels of different grades as well as individual differences in WM functioning within each grade.
